Family
by MiyuTanemura
Summary: A strange weather falls upon Magnolia. What's the reason behind it and why does it have to do with pain and magic? Slight Natsu/Gray  only friendship


Disclaimer: I don't own anything, go figure…

**A/N1:** A little thing that was on my mind. I know, the title is a bit cheesy but I have always a huge difficulty choosing them so… If you have a better title to suggest go ahead.

**Note:** _'thoughts'_ and "speech"

* * *

Family

"Brrr! It's freezing outside!" Lucy's voice echoed through the Guild at the same time she closed the door. Inside a melancholic peace reigned, no one was brawling or laughing out loud. Conversations were being held in low voice around the tables and even Kana had let go of her big beer keg and was sitting with Mirajane who was strumming softly on her guitar. Lucy walked to them. "I don't get it. When I left home the weather was pleasant even on its way to a hot day but after I finished my groceries shopping and started walking here it began getting colder and colder. Not at all appropriated to my outfit." She pointed down to her clothes, a tight sleeveless red top with burgundy shorts and matching sandals. Yes, it was not the kind of outfit to be wearing when outside a freezing breeze was blowing and people passing were trying to huddle on their jackets (if they were lucky to have one) and trying to keep warm. Mirajane looked sympathetically at her. She got up and went to the bar where she prepared a hot beverage. "Well, there are some days that get to us more than others and there isn't much we can do…?" Lucy looked from her cup, a moustache of cream on her upper lip. "But has this happened before?"

Mirajane shrugged, "A couple of times… but it's a way as good as any other to get over things."

"Don't say nonsense. He should just overcome that. There's nothing to do. With the Guild like this I don't even feel in the mood to drink… And I miss my drink." Kana was slightly grumpy as she wasn't emptying barrels of beer like there was no tomorrow. Lucy was still looking confused when master Makarov spoke, "We mages have the power to control what surrounds us, especially if you're an elemental mage and if you can control an element of Nature." She interrupted him as he paused, "So, from the mages in our Guild, only one could set such a frosty atmosphere. Gray's the one doing this?" She looked, surprised, at master's nod. He continued, "Most of the time a mage has no power to change the environment to this degree but in times of high mental distress or pain, the hold one has on his powers lowers considerably. The release of the power will drain the mage and it can be dangerous as this may create a vicious cycle. And Gray is quite a strong mage, with a lot of potential, so it may get much colder." Lucy lowered her cup to the counter with a bit more force than necessary. "But it could be dangerous, right? If things spiral down." Mirajane leaned on the counter dejectedly. "We tried, we are a family after all and he should know that he can talk to us if he need to, but you know Gray. He's stubborn. Only Erza and Natsu manage to get him out of this funk by bringing his fighting spirit – I think it helps mending the wound. But Erza's not here and Natsu…" she signalled vaguely to one of the doors that led to the Guild's rooms. "But as long as outside things are just frosty…"

"Huh, the problem is that outside's not just frosty, it's more on the '_middle of a blizzard_' cold."

At these words the entire Guild froze. This wasn't like the other times after all – they had to do something.

"Don't worry. I'm going to get him." Natsu's voice emerged from one darkened door.

"I'm going with you." Lucy offered promptly, she was descending from the stool, dabbing a napkin over her lips. Natsu approached the master, gravelly, followed by Happy. They held a silent conversation with their stares then Natsu nodded affirmatively and prepared to leave. Lucy was on his side in no time but he grabbed her shoulder and said, "Sorry but I think it's better for you to stay. Don't worry, I'll bring him home in no time." Despite the seriousness of the situation he couldn't help but joke, "Not that I think you would be capable of going very far with those clothes…" he grinned at her. She slapped him across the back of the head but smiled back, somewhat comforted. "Okay, be careful." She said as she held Happy in her arms. The rest of the Guild told him to hurry up and similar things, the mood lifting a bit now that something was going to be made. As Natsu stepped out the door he even heard some laughs. He smiled, now things were more normal and the Guild was looking more like itself. He closed the door. His smile left his face as the wind swept through him like sharp claws. He noticed that the people that were outside were hurrying to their homes, searching for protection. This was a highly uncomfortable weather. He sighed as he stepped out of the slight protection of the building. He had to find his moody friend.

* * *

In the forest at the North side of Magnolia there was an abandoned quarry. At that precise moment the reason for the unpleasant weather was standing at its middle, small blue threads emanating from his body and causing a hurricane that was spreading the cold in waves at arrhythmic frequencies. To tell the truth, he wasn't aware of what was happening around him as he was lost in his memories. His shoulders slumped as if an unimaginable weight had fallen on him and, even if he didn't want to, his eyes fell shut. A shiver coursed his body but it was not of cold, no, it was pain that went through his body. Some rational part of him couldn't believe that he was letting himself go like this and tried to rationalize.

'_Get a grip! This is no way to go. I should… I should be at the Guild doing something…'_

'_Why aren't you? They all would like to see me crack, I'm sure… Show how weak and pathetic-'_

'_I am no such thing!'_

'_Then why are you weeping here in the forest, alone?'_

'_I wanted to be alone…'_

'_Yeah right. It has nothing to do with the date, right?'_

'_That-that's right. Today is just a day, like any other, nothing more!'_

'_So it doesn't matter that your parents died in this day…'_

'_Shut up! No! I wasn't the only one to suffer. Many other got on the same situation as me. And I was lucky because I met Ur and Leon and I got some of the best days of my life with them.'_

'_And I suppose that it doesn't matter either that Ur's death date is approaching…'_

'_No! I believe that she is still alive and looking out for us. She kept her promises.'_

'_Then why are you hitting that stone as if you want to murder something?'_

With this last question he stopped. As his inner argument was happening he had moved to one of the stone walls and punched it, several times and with great strength, if the cracks on the stone were any indication. He hadn't even noticed that tears were flowing down his cheeks. It didn't matter. His body took control and he just acted, his brain closing down to the pain. In fact, most of the time he was over this matter but in some days – such as this – in which some hidden door inside him opened and the wound felt as fresh as if it had been made the previous day. How was this possible?

He had seen Deliora crumble with his own eyes and he had felt that that chapter of his life was closed for good. So, why this? Why now? What had he done to be feeling this despair? Why couldn't his rational part take over and be done with it? He was punching another part of the quarry in which the rocks were of a harder quality and with this his fists were split open, blood coming out and staining the rock – at the same time that was cracking it – and tiny bits were cutting his skin even more so his hands were getting to a messy state. He threw his arms around and got them scratched. Now he was releasing his pain by focusing his rage on his immediate surroundings. A half carved obelisk was sprouting from the ground and it was in that he focused next. He was going to take it down.

He created an Ice Hammer that got a rosy tint due to the blood on his hands, and aimed it in a semi-circular movement and crashed it into the rock. The hammer fell to pieces but Gray tried again. He approached it and, focusing, started covering it with a layer of ice. Then he tried to make the ice press against the rock but before he could focus on the right way a voice startled him, "And here I thought you had something on your mind, but no, you're just in the path of mindless destruction."

He turned with a snarl to see Natsu looking down at him from the trees' level.

"I don't see what you can possibly have to do with what I do or not." He wasn't capable of looking at Natsu in the eye. On his turn, Natsu was assessing the place and Gray. It looked like a mage from Fairy Tail had passed there for sure – with the destruction – but he could see that this damage hadn't almost been made with magic. Hell, you just had to look at the blood trail to see that it had been almost completely hand-made.

Then he looked at the obelisk, where Gray was standing. He looked at his friend and cringed sympathetically at his pitiful state, pants frayed, shirt missing and his hands were red and blood was still dripping from the open wounds. But if something scared him were Gray's eyes, so black but showing a despairing and haunted quality that he didn't like a single bit.

Not caring about the sub-zero winds on his skin, he jumped down and started walking to Gray. He stopped right in front of him and did a thing that not many people had seen. "Talk to me."

Gray shook his head, "I'd rather not. If you want to help me let's fight."

The corners of Natsu's mouth curled downwards. "It won't solve anything. You have to talk to clear your head."

Gray was getting into a fighting stance. "You want me to talk? Very well, if you defeat me I'll talk." And he conjured a sword that he swung at Natsu.

Natsu jumped and got to the top of the obelisk. "If that's what I have to do to make you talk, you've got a deal." Flames were enveloping Natsu's body and counteracting Gray's magic.

A series of pink arrows was thrown at him but Natsu created a wall of flames that melted the ice. He jumped to the ground and ran around the obelisk towards Gray. They met half-way and at the same time, they threw a punch, hitting squarely on the other's jaw. They fell back, gazes locking.

Gray knew that his chances to defeat Natsu were close to none as he had spent a lot of energy here and was getting tired besides the mental drain. But he'd be damned if he was going to let Natsu win. Natsu who also had had such a difficult past, who had a burden as heavy – if not heavier – as his. But forget that. He was going to beat him!

On his side, Natsu watched the instant flickers of emotion in Gray's eyes and momentary expressions that crossed his face. Then the stubborn look settled and Natsu understood perfectly that Gray didn't want to fight with him but he had to be like himself to the end. Oh well, now that they were here, nothing better that to finish the matter…

It happened very fast. Gray started moving, while using his magic but Natsu was quicker and got behind him and knocked him out. As Gray's body slumped to his waiting arms, Natsu saw how the eerie blue threads got weaker and disappeared. Then the sunlight could finally be felt on the skin, a fact that Natsu noticed welcomingly. He threw one of Gray's arms over his shoulders and grabbed him by the waist and started making his way back to Magnolia.

* * *

Gray woke up in one of the guest rooms that were on the back of the Guild. He was aching all over and his hands felt like someone had plunged them in boiling water. Then he remembered everything, the wretched day that was, his bad mood and the bargain he had made with Natsu so that his mind was, at that moment, distracted with a fight instead of painful memories.

He groaned aloud while throwing an arm – with a bandaged hand – over his eyes. He heard the door close and looked in that direction. It was Natsu.

"You're coming to see if I want to talk?"

"Relax, we're not going to force you or something like that but you have to _truly_ understand that we're here. You've already showed and told us that we are a family but you don't have to tackle all your problems alone. It's ok to come to us." Natsu was completely serious.

Now sitting, Gray nodded, yes, he knew that they were a family but he hadn't wanted to disturb them, there was no need. Then he raised an eyebrow , "Look who's talking. If someone heard you they would get the impression that you confide a lot." A smirk came to his lips. 'Two can play this game.' He thought. Natsu shifted and punched him on his shoulder. "Shut up. I'll gotoyouwhenIneedto." He all but mumbled the last part.

"Hey, don't punch me you fire eating bastard." Gray was to punch back but thought better.

"Shut up, you ice prick." The air was already coming to the usual between them when the door opened and master Makarov entered.

"It's good to see that you're awake Gray. You had us scared for some time but I was told that your magic will recover soon and you'll be as good as new in no time. But you have to stay with your magic sealed for a week." He produced a bracelet from his pocket and signalled so that he extended his arm. A yellow light glowed when he slipped it and closed it on Gray's wrist. "There, now it will only come out when I remove it."

"Does that mean that I can kick his ass and he won't be able to respond me in kind for one week?" Natsu asked while conjuring victorious images. Makarov coughed and, with one eye closed looked at Natsu while responding, "You can try to kick his ass but then I'll have to seal your powers so that it may be a fair fight."

"Not fair…" Natsu whined while Makarov smiled, "Now we better let the rest of the group come in. As I said, you got us worried Gray." The master walked to the door.

Gray was looking dazedly at the bracelet (he had heard that some artefacts could do these kinds of things but had never seen one). The bracelet was silver with a complicated pattern and in one side had a tiny bead with a very light blue.

He just looked at the door in the precise moment that the master opened the door.

Lucy, Happy, Erza, Mirajane, Kana, Elfman, Macao and Romeo entered. Their worried faces softened quickly then the jumble of questions and demands for answers came. Lucy was saying that she almost got a cold by his fault, Happy was saying that he was glad that Gray was alright and asking when he was going to take him to that fishmonger and buy him another of those delicious fishes, Mirajane was saying that she was glad he was well and warned him that she was going to lecture him extensively, Erza told him not to pull another like this _or else_, Elfman was rambling about the manly way to do this kinds of things and that they had to confide in the family.

All in all, despite the lectures that he was going to listen to, he felt that he was finally letting go of the pain that still resided in him. Natsu put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed fondly. Gray looked at him and smiled. Yes, they all had problems and were always arguing and fighting but in the end they were a family and Gray wouldn't have it any other way.

The End

**

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A/N****2:** Hello there. I hope you liked this fic (don't worry that I'm working on the next chapter of To be careful in missions that hopefully will be out next week) it was something that I just had to write at the moment. I hope things are somewhat plausible, if not, in the realm of my imagination they are. Hope it wasn't entirely too cheesy – God, it was… Anyway, please review.


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